Match composition.



NITED STATES A'IEN'I Fries.

JUAN CRAVERI, OF BUENOS Areas, ARGENTINA.

MATCH COMPOSITION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Iletters Patent No. 660,366. dated October23, 1900. Application filed December 13, 1897. Serial No. 661,695. (Nospecimens-l To all 107mm, it wtcty concern.-

Be it known that I, JUAN ORAVERI, doctor in chemistry and pharmacy, asubject of the King of Italy, residing at No. 745 Oalle Tucuman, in thecity of Buenos Ayres, Argentina, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Safetydllatches and Friction- Surfaces Therefor; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This descriptive account refers to means for entirely dispensing withthe use of amorphous phosphorus in the manufacture of that class ofmatches called safetymatches, employing instead the compounds ofsulfocyanogen and of its isomers and of its polymers.

The amorphous phosphorus of commerce employed in the manufacture of thesaid safety-matches is not absolutely innocuous, since it contains,according to Iolin, about one per cent. of arsenic and two per cent. ofphosphorus, (Dragendorfi s Manual of Tom'- cology, French translation byGautier, p. 149.) Its cost, besides, varies from six to eight francs perkilo. I dispense entirely with the use of amorphous phosphorus in thefriction surface used with these safetymatches, substituting thereforthe compounds of sulfo-cyanogen, the term sulfo-cyanogen being usedgenerically to embrace also its isomers and its polymers, with whichcompounds I form a paste on which upon scratching the heads of thematches formed of other compounds of my invention, hereinafterenumerated, combustion of the matches is produced. Thus, for example, Imix the following substances: cyanogen persulfid, two parts; persulfocyanic acid, one part; xanthate of potassium, 0.5 part; sulfid ofantimony, four parts; gelatin, one part. In these proportions, which maybe varied, a paste is obtained which will adhere to the side of the boxto serve as a friction-surface for the matches. This paste is made bydissolving first the gelatin in a sufficient quantity of warm water andmixing with it afterward the other substances, forming thus a sort ofpulp, which is then applied with a brush to one side of the box.

The heads of the matches or wax tapers are prepared with the followingsubstances: sulfur, three parts; nitro-naphthalene, two parts;bichromate of potassium, five parts; chlorate of potassium, fifty parts;pulverized glass, thirty parts; gelatin, ten parts. These proportionsmay also be varied. This paste, formed like the first-mentioned, isobtained 'by dissolving the gelatin in a sufficiency of warm water, withwhich the other substances are afterward mixed, and applying the same tothe wood or tapers of the matches by the usual methods, drying themafterward, first in dry air by means of an artificial current,completing then the drying process in an oven in the man ner practicedin this industry.

These matches cannot be ignited except upon the especialfriction-surface above mentioned, since the act of combustion isproduced by the compounds of sulfo-cyanogen and of its isomers and ofits polymers, which constitute the combustible. Placing this combustibleon the frictionsurface the elements which constitute the head of thematch cannot be ignitedin any manner when not in frictional contact withthesaid compound.

The cost of the products with which I substitute the use of amorphousphosphorus to form the base of the friction-surface is much less thanthat of the amorphous phosphorus.

Having thus described and ascertained the natureof my said invention andthe manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that what Iclaim as of my absolute property and invention is Asafety-match-igniting material containing cyanogen persulfid,persulfo-cyanic acid, xanthate of potassium, sulfid of antimony, andgelatin.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

JUAN ORAVERI.

Witnesses:

P. A. BREUER, G, M. BREUER.

